Browns' Rob Chudzinski says cutting Armonty Bryant was considered after DUI, but team chose a second chance

Cleveland Plain Dealer | May 11

Rob Chudzinski admitted Friday that the Browns contemplated cutting ties with seventh-round pick Armonty Bryant following his DUI arrest, but opted to give him another chance.

The DUI came on the heels of his marijuana arrest in October, and a promise to the Browns on draft day to be more mature.

"We discussed all the options and ultimately decided that we wanted to bring him in and sit down and talk to him, and that's the process we went through," Chudzinski said following the first practice of rookie minicamp. Bryant, softspoken and obviously humbled by recent events, acknowledged he was afraid the Browns would drop him.

"I'm just fortunate the Browns still have faith in me and this organization and everything and hopefully I can win a spot on this 53-man roster."

A pass-rushing end from tiny East Central University in Oklahoma, Bryant knows that he's on a zero-tolerance policy. "I understand and I'm just going to take this opportunity to let my actions on the field speak," he said.

But why should the Browns believe him when he said similar things on draft day and then went out six days later and got arrested? Eventually, his blood-alcohol level was tested at .090, above Oklahoma's legal limit of .080.

"Because I believe good people make mistakes and it's all about moving on, and hopefully my actions will speak loud," he said.

Chudzinski met Bryant, one of the team's five draft picks, in person for the first time on Thursday and laid down the law.

"It's a serious matter," Chudzinski said. "Now that Armonty's gotten here, I had a chance to sit down with him and talk about my expectations and make those expectations clear with him.